Philadelphia Giants
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Giants were a Negro league
baseball
team that played from 1902 to 1916. From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. The team was organized by Sol White
, H. Walter Schlichter, and Harry Smith.
(an African-American newspaper), to organize the Philadelphia Giants. Schlichter arranged for the team to play in the major league Columbia Park
when the Philadelphia Athletics
were on the road. Sol White would play shortstop and manage the team. For their first season, the team recruited several star players including catcher Clarence Williams
, second baseman Frank Grant
, and pitcher John Nelson. The 1902 Philadelphia Giants compiled a win-loss-tie record of 81–43–2. Throughout the season the Giants issued challenges to the Cuban X-Giants
to compete in a Negro league championship series, but the X-Giants declined. In October, their first season culminated with a two-game series against the American League
champion Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics won both games, 8–3 and 13–9.
In 1903, White acquired Harry Buckner, William Binga, Robert Footes, Bill Monroe
and John W. Patterson
. Attendance grew and in September the Giants again challenged the Cuban X-Giants for a championship series. This time the challenge was accepted and games were scheduled for New York, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. The Cuban X-Giants beat Philadelphia behind outstanding pitching by Rube Foster.
, and pitcher Danny McClellan
for the Giants, and a dynasty took shape. With the Giants' growing popularity and to avoid working around the Philadelphia Athletics' schedule, they leased their own home stadium at Broad Street and Jackson Avenue in Philadelphia. A second "World's Colored Championship" was determined by a best-of-three series in September. Foster beat the Cuban X-Giants in both the first and the decisive third games for Philadelphia's first championship.
In 1905 the Giants won their second colored championship, beating the Brooklyn Royal Giants
in three straight games.
In 1906 the Giants joined the first organized black baseball league, the International League of Colored Baseball Clubs in American and Cuba (ILBCAC). In September they once again faced and defeated the Cuban X-Giants, thereby winning both the ILBCAC championship and another "World's Colored Championship". Subsequently they played two games with the Philadelphia Athletics, losing both to outstanding pitching performances by Hall of Fame players Eddie Plank
and Rube Waddell
.
In 1907, Rube Foster, Pete Hill, and three other players left the Giants to join the Leland Giants
in Chicago. With young John H. Lloyd
taking over at shortstop, however, the Philadelphia Giants continued to field an excellent team and won their fourth consecutive eastern championship. In October they toured Cuba and went 10–12–1 against Habana
and Almendares
.
In 1908 the first black championship series between the east and west was played, as the Leland Giants played the Philadelphia Giants in a "World Series." The series ended with a 3–3 tie; it is not known why the deciding seventh game was not played. In 1909 Spottswood Poles
joined the team and the Giants won another eastern championship.
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team that played from 1902 to 1916. From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. The team was organized by Sol White
Sol White
* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley * , by Sol White. Compiled and with an introduction by Jerry Malloy -External links:...
, H. Walter Schlichter, and Harry Smith.
Founding and first years
In 1902, white sportswriter H. Walter Schlichter joined with long-time Negro league player Sol White and Harry Smith, sports editor of the Philadelphia TribunePhiladelphia Tribune
The Philadelphia Tribune is an American newspaper, headquartered at 520 South 16th Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that primarily targets the African American community. Published Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, it is the oldest continually running African-American newspaper,...
(an African-American newspaper), to organize the Philadelphia Giants. Schlichter arranged for the team to play in the major league Columbia Park
Columbia Park
For other places known as Columbia Park, see Columbia Park Columbia Park or Columbia Avenue Grounds was a baseball stadium that formerly stood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
when the Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
were on the road. Sol White would play shortstop and manage the team. For their first season, the team recruited several star players including catcher Clarence Williams
Clarence Williams (baseball player)
Clarence Williams was an African-American baseball catcher in the Negro Leagues. He joined the Cuban Giants, the first black professional team, during their first season. He played at least twenty years for major teams...
, second baseman Frank Grant
Frank Grant
* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
, and pitcher John Nelson. The 1902 Philadelphia Giants compiled a win-loss-tie record of 81–43–2. Throughout the season the Giants issued challenges to the Cuban X-Giants
Cuban X-Giants
The Cuban X-Giants were an African-American professional baseball team for about ten seasons around 1900. Originally most of the players were former Cuban Giants, or ex-Giants....
to compete in a Negro league championship series, but the X-Giants declined. In October, their first season culminated with a two-game series against the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics won both games, 8–3 and 13–9.
In 1903, White acquired Harry Buckner, William Binga, Robert Footes, Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe (baseball player)
William S. Monroe was an American infielder in baseball's Negro leagues. He was also known by the nickname of "Money." During a 19-year career from 1896 to 1914, he played on many of the greatest teams in black baseball. He was a good hitter and slick fielding third base and second baseman who was...
and John W. Patterson
John W. Patterson
John W. Patterson was an African-American baseball outfielder in the Negro Leagues. He played for major teams from 1893 to 1907....
. Attendance grew and in September the Giants again challenged the Cuban X-Giants for a championship series. This time the challenge was accepted and games were scheduled for New York, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. The Cuban X-Giants beat Philadelphia behind outstanding pitching by Rube Foster.
Heyday (1904-1908)
The next season White recruited Foster, outfielder Pete HillPete Hill
* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
, and pitcher Danny McClellan
Dan McClellan
Dan McClellan was an African American baseball pitcher in the Negro Leagues. He played regularly for major teams for at least a decade beginning 1903 and continued as a playing manager and organizer of lesser teams....
for the Giants, and a dynasty took shape. With the Giants' growing popularity and to avoid working around the Philadelphia Athletics' schedule, they leased their own home stadium at Broad Street and Jackson Avenue in Philadelphia. A second "World's Colored Championship" was determined by a best-of-three series in September. Foster beat the Cuban X-Giants in both the first and the decisive third games for Philadelphia's first championship.
In 1905 the Giants won their second colored championship, beating the Brooklyn Royal Giants
Brooklyn Royal Giants
The Brooklyn Royal Giants were a professional baseball team based in Brooklyn, New York which played in the Negro Leagues. They were one of the premier professional teams before World War I, winning multiple championships in the East.- League play :...
in three straight games.
In 1906 the Giants joined the first organized black baseball league, the International League of Colored Baseball Clubs in American and Cuba (ILBCAC). In September they once again faced and defeated the Cuban X-Giants, thereby winning both the ILBCAC championship and another "World's Colored Championship". Subsequently they played two games with the Philadelphia Athletics, losing both to outstanding pitching performances by Hall of Fame players Eddie Plank
Eddie Plank
Edward Stewart Plank , nicknamed "Gettysburg Eddie", was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is the first left-handed pitcher to win 200 games and then 300 games, and now ranks third in all-time wins among left-handers with 326 career victories and first all-time in career shutouts by a...
and Rube Waddell
Rube Waddell
George Edward Waddell was an American southpaw pitcher in Major League Baseball. In his thirteen-year career he played for the Louisville Colonels , Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Orphans in the National League, and the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns in the American League...
.
In 1907, Rube Foster, Pete Hill, and three other players left the Giants to join the Leland Giants
Leland Giants
The Chicago Union Giants, the top black baseball team in the Midwest or West in the first decade of the 20th century, changed its name in 1905 to the Leland Giants, after manager and owner Frank Leland....
in Chicago. With young John H. Lloyd
John Henry Lloyd
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd was an American baseball player and manager in the Negro leagues. He is generally considered the greatest shortstop in Negro league history, and both Babe Ruth and Ted Harlow, a noted sportswriter, reportedly believed Lloyd to be the greatest baseball player ever.He was a...
taking over at shortstop, however, the Philadelphia Giants continued to field an excellent team and won their fourth consecutive eastern championship. In October they toured Cuba and went 10–12–1 against Habana
Habana (baseball club)
The Habana club was one of the oldest and most distinguished baseball teams in the old Cuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Habana, representing the city of Havana, was the only team to play in the league every season of its existence and was one of its most successful franchises...
and Almendares
Almendares (baseball club)
The Almendares club was one of the oldest and most distinguished baseball teams in the old Cuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Almendares represented the Almendares District on the outskirts of the old city of Havana—when the league was founded it was still considered a suburban area,...
.
In 1908 the first black championship series between the east and west was played, as the Leland Giants played the Philadelphia Giants in a "World Series." The series ended with a 3–3 tie; it is not known why the deciding seventh game was not played. In 1909 Spottswood Poles
Spot Poles
Spottswood Poles was an American outfielder in baseball's Negro Leagues. Born in Winchester, Virginia, he died at age 74 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania....
joined the team and the Giants won another eastern championship.
Split and decline
In 1909, White broke with Schlichter and left the Giants to take the reins of the Quaker Giants. In 1910, Lloyd also left and the Giants were no longer contenders for championships. Riley writes, "...after the end of the decade many of Philadelphia's remaining star players defected to other teams. The Giants' caliber of play dropped significantly as they rapidly became a minor team. Although a club continued on into the '20s with the same name, that team cannot be equated with the original franchise."Demise
Lanctot says the team disbanded during the 1911 season, forced by player defections (citing the New York Age of August 3, evidently). The new Lincoln Giants of New York City had signed "several players, including Louis Santop and Dick Redding". Many clubs claimed the tradition: by 1914 there were North, South, East, and West versions of "Philadelphia Giants" and also "East End Giants of Germantown".Notable players
- Harry Buckner - pitcher, 1903
- Rube Foster – pitcher, 1904–06
- Charlie GrantCharlie GrantCharles Grant was an African American second baseman in negro league baseball. Grant nearly crossed the baseball color line decades before Jackie Robinson when Major League Baseball manager John McGraw attempted to pass him off as a Native American named "Tokohama".-Background:Grant was born in...
– 2B, 1904–06 - Frank GrantFrank Grant* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
– 2B, 1902–03 - Pete HillPete Hill* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
– OF, 1903–06 - Home Run JohnsonHome Run JohnsonGrant "Home Run" Johnson was an American shortstop in baseball's Negro Leagues. He played for many of the greatest teams of the deadball era. Born in Findlay, Ohio, he died at age 88 in Buffalo, New York....
– SS, 1905–06 - John Henry LloydJohn Henry LloydJohn Henry "Pop" Lloyd was an American baseball player and manager in the Negro leagues. He is generally considered the greatest shortstop in Negro league history, and both Babe Ruth and Ted Harlow, a noted sportswriter, reportedly believed Lloyd to be the greatest baseball player ever.He was a...
– SS, 1907–09 - Dan McClellanDan McClellanDan McClellan was an African American baseball pitcher in the Negro Leagues. He played regularly for major teams for at least a decade beginning 1903 and continued as a playing manager and organizer of lesser teams....
- pitcher, 1904–06 - Bill MonroeBill Monroe (baseball player)William S. Monroe was an American infielder in baseball's Negro leagues. He was also known by the nickname of "Money." During a 19-year career from 1896 to 1914, he played on many of the greatest teams in black baseball. He was a good hitter and slick fielding third base and second baseman who was...
– IF, 1903–06 - Mike Moore - CF, 1905–06
- Bruce PetwayBruce PetwayBruce Franklin Petway was a Negro League catcher in the early 20th century who came to be known as having one of the best throwing arms in the league...
– C, 1907–09 - Spottswood PolesSpot PolesSpottswood Poles was an American outfielder in baseball's Negro Leagues. Born in Winchester, Virginia, he died at age 74 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania....
– OF, 1909–10 - Dick ReddingDick ReddingRichard Redding , nicknamed "Cannonball", was an American pitcher, outfielder and manager in baseball's Negro leagues, regarded as perhaps the fastest pitcher in the history of black baseball...
– P, 1911 - Sol WhiteSol White* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley * , by Sol White. Compiled and with an introduction by Jerry Malloy -External links:...
– infielder and manager, 1902–09